Ali Gerba

Personal information
Full name	Ali Ngon Gerba
Date of birth	September 4, 1981 (1981-09-04) (age 28)
Place of birth	Yaoundé, Cameroon
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	Toronto FC
Number	10
Youth career
1994–1997	Bourassa
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000	Montreal Impact	17	(6)
2001	Miami Fusion	0	(0)
2002	Pittsburgh Riverhounds	19	(1)
2002–2003	Toronto Lynx	25	(6)
2003–2004	Montreal Impact	7	(1)
2004–2005	Toronto Lynx	32	(17)
2005	Montreal Impact	8	(5)
2005	GIF Sundsvall	11	(5)
2006-2007	Göteborg	5	(0)
2006	→ Odd Grenland (loan)	10	(1)
2007	→ AC Horsens (loan)	15	(4)
2008	Ingolstadt	11	(3)
2008-2009	Milton Keynes Dons	24	(10)
2009–	Toronto FC	11	(1)
National team‡
2005–	Canada	28	(15)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 October, 2009. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 June, 2009

Ali Gerba (pronounced ZHER-ba) (born September 4, 1981 in Yaoundé) is a Cameroonian-born Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Due to his impressive national team goalscoring record, Gerba is affectionately known as the "Canadian Gerd Muller".

[edit] Career

[edit] Canada/United States

In 2000 Gerba signed with the Montreal Impact where he recorded 6 goals and 2 assists, a club record for a rookie. In 2001 Gerba signed with the Miami Fusion of the MLS but had little success in Miami. In 2002 Gerba returned to the USL First Division and signed with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds but late in the season he was traded to the Toronto Lynx.

In 2003, Gerba was the leading scorer for the Lynx scoring six goals but again Gerba was traded to the Impact late in the season. But Gerba returned to the Lynx in 2004 where he had an outstanding season where he scored 15 goals a club record. Gerba returned to the Lynx for the 2005 season^[1] where he scored two goals before getting traded to the Impact in exchange for Abraham Francois and Sita-Taty Matondo^[2]. Gerba left the Lynx as the clubs second highest all-time scorer with 24 goals in total.

With the Impact Gerba played an important role for the Impact helping the club stay undefeated in 15 games, a league record. Gerba was rewarded by being selected to represent Canada in Gold Cup where he played three games and scored one goal.

[edit] Europe

After the Gold Cup Gerba was signed by GIF Sundsvall where he scored five goals in 11 games but the team was relegated to the Superettan. When GIF Sundsvall were relegated Gerba signed a three year deal with Swedish giants IFK Göteborg. In 2006, he was loaned to Odd Grenland in Norway, and in the beginning of 2007 he went on loan to Danish Superliga side AC Horsens, but the club did not want to keep him, so in January 2008 he signed with German FC Ingolstadt 04. In June 2008, he was released from his contract with the club.^[3]

As of June 28, 2008, Gerba was being linked with a return to North America to join Canadian manager Frank Yallop at Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes.^[4] However, on August 7, 2008, he signed for Football League One newcomers Milton Keynes Dons awaiting for his work permit to be stamped. On August 20, 2008, he made his first appearance for the Dons in a 3–0 away victory against Colchester United. He scored his first goal for the Dons in his second game for them in the 2–1 defeat to Peterborough United. Milton Keynes Dons announced they would not be offering Gerba a new contract for the 2009–10 season.

[edit] Major League Soccer

Gerba was linked with moves to MLS with Toronto FC,^[5] a return to his hometown Montreal Impact and also with English sides, Millwall, Stockport County, Oldham Athletic, Brentford and Burton Albion.^[6] Toronto FC announced the signing of Gerba on its website on June 23, 2009.^[7] Gerba made his unofficial debut for Toronto FC in an international friendly against the Argentinean powerhouse Club Atlético River Plate,^[8] at BMO Field on July 22, 2009. Gerba scored on his MLS debut vs. Columbus Crew on July 25, 2009 in a 3-2 loss.^[9]

[edit] International

Gerba has played for the Canadian national team since 2005. He has the country's most prolific strike-rate, with 15 goals in 28 full internationals.

Gerba has represented Canada in three CONCACAF Gold Cups and 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. He is the all-time leader in goals for Canada at the Gold Cup with 6. Gerba's fifteen goals also have him tied as the leader among active players for Canada with Toronto teammate Dwayne De Rosario.

[edit] International goals

#	Date	City	Opponent	Result	Competition
1	July 12, 2005	Foxboro, USA	Cuba	2–1	2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2	June 1, 2007	Maracaibo, Venezuela	Venezuela	2–2	Friendly
3	June 9, 2007	Miami, USA	Guadeloupe	1–2	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
4	June 16, 2007	Foxboro, USA	Guatemala	3–0	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
5	June 16, 2007	Foxboro, USA	Guatemala	3–0	2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
6	June 15, 2008	Kingstown, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	3–0	2010 World Cup Qualification
7	June 15, 2008	Kingstown, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	3–0	2010 World Cup Qualification
8	June 20, 2008	Montreal, Canada	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	4–1	2010 World Cup Qualification
9	June 20, 2008	Montreal, Canada	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	4–1	2010 World Cup Qualification
10	September 10, 2008	Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico	Mexico	1–2	2010 World Cup Qualification
11	October 15, 2008	Edmonton, Canada	Mexico	2–2	2010 World Cup Qualification
12	June 30, 2009	Oxnard, USA	Guatemala	3–0	Friendly
13	June 30, 2009	Oxnard, USA	Guatemala	3–0	Friendly
14	July 3, 2009	Carson, USA	Jamaica	1–0	2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
15	July 7, 2009	Columbus, USA	El Salvador	1–0	2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup

[edit] See also

• List of current MLS players

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• MLS player profile
• National team profile
• Career statistics at Danmarks Radio
• Canada Soccer profile
• Ali Gerba player profile at mkdons.com
• Ali Gerba career stats at Soccerbase

v • d • e Canada squad – 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup 1 Sutton • 2 Braz • 3 Pozniak • 4 McKenna • 5 Gervais • 6 Bernier • 7 Hume • 8 Serioux • 9 Gerba • 10 Occean • 11 Brennan • 12 Grande • 13 Hutchinson • 14 De Rosario • 15 Simpson • 16 Leduc • 17 Peters • 18 Dodds • 19 Franks • Coach: Yallop

v • d • e Canada squad – 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup 1 Sutton • 2 Braz • 3 Jazić • 4 Reda • 5 Hainault • 6 de Guzman • 7 Stalteri • 8 Harmse • 9 Friend • 10 Gerba • 11 Hastings • 12 Gervais • 13 Hutchinson • 14 De Rosario • 15 Bernier • 16 Nash • 17 Hume • 18 Nakajima • 19 Ribeiro • 20 Pozniak • 21 Ledgerwood • 22 Onstad • 23 Giacomi • Coach: Hart

v • d • e Canada squad – 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup 1 Sutton • 2 Cann • 3 Klukowski • 4 Hainault • 5 McKenna • 6 de Guzman • 7 Stalteri • 8 de Jong • 9 Gerba • 10 Johnson • 11 Hastings • 12 Nakajima • 13 Hutchinson • 14 Jakovic • 15 Simpson • 16 Jackson • 17 Peters • 18 Wagenaar • 19 Harmse • 20 Bernier • 21 Pozniak • 22 Stamatopoulos • 23 Gbeke • Coach: Hart